Saturday, April 5, 2014

Time To Vent

Blogger, you are getting on my last nerve!  Some time back you changed everything and left us no options but to accept it.  Some of us don't adapt well to changes, especially if what we have is working for us, even with the occasional glitches.

We used to have a "Manage" button we could click and make adjustments to the blogs we follow.  It became nonfunctional, even before the drastic change.  Since the change, there is a little gear icon you are supposed to be able to click and manage your reading list.  Click that and what do you get?  Something else nonfunctional.

 

I follow a lot of blogs and I read them from my dashboard.  I start at the bottom, where I left off and read up, oldest to newest.  As soon as I finish, I hit the refresh button and read what has been added throughout the day.  Some blogs that post daily don't even show up, I have to go looking for them.  Once I have found them on my list and clicked them, then when I hit refresh, they magically appear... but not without tracking them down first.








Now, about that refresh button.  When I click refresh and expect to see the updated reading list, what I don't expect to happen is for Blogger Buzz to show up over and over again.  When it comes up new, the first time, I read it.  However, I don't like to have it foisted on me EVERY TIME I HIT THE REFRESH BUTTON, OVER AND OVER AGAIN, FOR WEEKS AT A TIME!  (the current one has been showing for over 5 weeks, that's old news now)  Sometimes I hit the refresh button 5, 7, 9, 10 times, before my reading list will show up again.  Each time I finish reading, multiple time a day.






It's no wonder people just give up and disappear!

Anyone else having issues?  Take time to comment and tell me I'm not the only one... PLEASE!



37 comments:

LL Cool Joe said...

For about 2 years I couldn't manage my blogs, but since the upgrade I can. It was very frustrating.

I do still find that a great many blogs I follow don't show up in my reader as well.

#1Nana said...

I've had the same problem. I've lost track of some of the blogs I followed because they never show up in the reader. Just this evening I went in search of a fix for deleting the blogs that I no longer want to follow and apparently you have to do it through google friends connect. When I went there all the blogs I follow were listed and I could delete from settings. What a pain. A lot of people in the A to Z challenge use WordPress...maybe it's time for a change?

Unknown said...

Have you considered using Feedly which is a Feed reader? It will sync all of your Google blogs and then you can manually add all of your WordPress or other blogs from other places as needed. In addition you can break them down into categories, like A to Z or must reads, daily reads, or by specific topic?
Blogger stinks for this and you're right it just is to difficult to read,manage every blog .

Gigi said...

I have the EXACT same problem! And yes, you can manage the blogs through the friend connect thing - but it doesn't show ALL the blogs I follow. AND, while it may remove them from my reader it doesn't remove them from my page. I'm so disgusted, I'm seriously thinking about moving to WordPress - even though I don't have a clue how to do it. Seems to me that Google has decided that Blogger just isn't worth their attention anymore.

TexWisGirl said...

yup, even though i read my blog list from feedly instead of the blogger dashboard, since you and i talked about this, i tried to 'manage the blogs i follow'. i have tried following a few from the google friend connect follow block. nope: this option not available at this time. so i try to add directly into my blog dashboard reading list. nope: you already follow too many blogs (300 limit). delete some first. so, i try to 'manage' and it won't let me in. i'm stuck and can't show my support to bloggers i am following, but at least i can add and read them in feedly.

George said...

I've just about given up on using Blogger to manage blogs. Whenever possible I get an email subscription to the blogs I follow. I wish more bloggers would include that option. I use Feedly for the other blogs I follow.

Sally said...

I'm embarrassed to say; I don't know what y'all are even talking about! That's how clueless I am.

On the right side of my page, on my friend's list; it automatically updates the newest posts.

Hope you get some answers.
xoxo

Chatty Crone said...

Gosh I must not even be paying attention at all - I have no clue what you are talking about - I will have to go check it out!

Nellie said...

There are times when the screen appears telling me that I don't follow any blogs.:-) Of course, I know that's not so. Sometimes I lack the patience to deal with it!

Lynn said...

I do have this happen but occasionally, I haven't noticed a renew button (will check I'm sure it must be there) but I am successful getting back my reading list when I go out ie go back to my own blog and then rehit 'my reading list' but that little glitch irks me a great deal but my trouble only lasts a few minutes from time to time, maybe living on the other side of the atlantic helps?

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Well---I check blogs the exact same way that you do (through the Dashboard Reader). I used to use Feedly --but since I manage my blogs constantly (removing and adding people to keep my numbers more manageable), I couldn't find a way to get Feedly to update my changes... SO---I'm happy now with the Dashboard Reader.

The "You don't follow any blogs" is DEFINITELY a Blogger Glitch and I've had trouble with it for years. BUT--all I have to do is to 're-up' it.. Sometimes it takes about 3 times in a row but I can ALWAYS get it to come back and show the blogs I follow. Hassle---but I do it.

I never have trouble eating that tiny wheel to manage my blogs --and when I get into them, I have no problems.

I do get that stupid Blogger message --but again, just 're-up' it over and over til your blogs show up... Only takes a minute or so. They 'want' you to get their news...ha

If you check out Feedly make sure it automatically updates changes to your reading list. That's when I gave it up--since my list became outdated quickly. Maybe there's a way --but I didn't bother.

I do NOT put my blog list on my Blog... Did that once --and it too has to be updated manually if you add or take away blogs.

I truly wish that more people would put the Follow Me by Email widget on their sidebars. I don't always get to those long lists ---but will usually always stop and read a Blog Email when it comes in. I pleaded with people about a year or more ago to add this option but many people did not...????

Blogger is so interested now in the Google + and Friend Connect --that it doesn't care about all of us still using their dashboard... That's why they got rid of their other GOOD Reader... I do not recommend Google+ or Friend Connect.

Besides the Dashboard, the other options I would recommend out there are Feedly (if they automatically update your lists) --or Bloglovin. Lots of people like it but I don't know anything about it.

My best advice is when you get either of those messages while trying to get into the Dashboard Reader, try to refresh them 3-4 times in a row immediately.. I've never had it not work that way...

Hugs,
Betsy

Coloring Outside the Lines said...

Mine just doesn't work half the time so I had to make blog lists on my page. I can find my favorites...but now I have two long lists and still have more that I need to add!
One change I don't like is when the only option to comment is to leave a comment as a google + that will show up on my google + page. That may not be blogger's fault, but it's still a change that irks me.

Betty Manousos said...

i'm sorry...i have no clue. i hope you get some answers.

Linda said...

Sometimes it happens to me. I'm thinking of bookmarking all my favorite blogs as a work-around.

Marie said...

I have no idea! lol

Deborah said...

Yeah, I'm like a few others that posted and said they use Feedly. But I'm rather clueless.

I hope it gets resolved for you!

Beth said...

I feel your frustration! The same thing happens to me. I am visiting you from Berries and More and am following now.
Beth

Vicki Lane said...

I don't use the Manage My Blogs -- I'm not as good about commenting as you are.. .

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

Grrr, I've noticed a lot of changes recently. But I'm so tech challenged I don't even know how to describe those changes. One very basic thing, though, is that I tried to find my text before the comments today. The one that says something to the effect of "Thank you for your comments. No spam please." I couldn't find it to alter it. It seems to have disappeared. They keep changing every thing. It drives me bonkers too. YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE.

Keeping good thoughts and prayers for you and yours, especially Michael.

Hang tough.
xoRobyn

Karen thisoldhouse2.com said...

I still have problems leaving comments! This one might not go through!

Vicky said...

I've had this problem for a long time- but I also take and keep refreshing the button till my list pops up eventually. I'm such a creature of habit- I just cross my fingers it doesn't go away for good!

troutbirder said...

I'm with Sally on this whole mess. My strategy is if it isn't broke don't fix it. I've never accepted any "New and Improved" changes to eblog and so far it works mostly. I don't know what google friends is all about and if I can figure out how to comment on some blog I just give up and move one. I wish they would just leave stuff that works alone. ok now I've vented...:)

Bossy Betty said...

Hey there. I use Feedly and it works OK. I get overwhelmed easily though and understand your frustration.

Glad you liked the bookshelves! If you have any questions or need more pictures, just e-mail me! There are lots of good tutorials online too!

Nancy said...

Not sure about the following thingy, but for whatever reason, my google pages refresh at random, which is a big time waster in my book.

Lynn Proctor said...

you got me---even the things you don't understand are over my head ms. a ;)

~mel said...

I'll let out a growl for you. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!! I feel your frustration. I haven't been able to leave comments on so many blogger friends. Now today FINALLY it seems to be working. I don't adapt well to change either.

Margaret (Peggy or Peg too) said...

Oh Cora, i so get this.
I am so frustrated.
but then i can't work with wordpress either.
I can't even leave a comment to those on wordpress. it says at my password is wrong. so i change it and it will continue telling me the same thing. Aargh! technology is so frustrating!

lotta joy said...

I never know what I'm going to be missing from one day to the next on blogger and google. AND, my taskbar (which should only be under MY control) gets replaced by interlopers on the web. I still can't get Joe's old homepage back and he's inundated with game icons and no email icon.

Recycled Cottage & Garden said...

I've been reporting this issue to blogger for months and they just don't take the hint. Obviously they don't care. I tried Bloglovin as an alternative, but I hate it.

Anonymous said...

i too had the problem. New blogs are net getting displayed. Need to go on search of the blogs!

Alexandra said...

I had to give up. I now visit from memory. xo

Ms. G said...

I hate it when that happens! panics me every time. Always afraid it will be the time refresh doesn't work and they all disappear!

Pat Tillett said...

Surprisingly and hoping not to jinx myself, blogger has been working better than it ever has for me. I understand that some browsers work better than others. Maybe that is the problem.

Tessa~ Here there be musing said...

Hi there 'Sarcastic Granny
! I'm an 'Opinionated Nana' in upper NYS.

I do the Following-Blogs-Dance, on a private blog. (Private, because sometimes we cease following a blog, and to have this info public, can cause hard feelings. Just sayin'.)

On this blog, I installed the Blogger Gadget-to-Follow. I see the newest posts, when I click on this blog. Seems to continue to work. I don't have to rely on any other form of "Following."

You asked.

Tessa~
(Upper NYS)

Betty said...

I don't know what to say. I'm always annoyed at Blogger or gmail. I get sick of them sticking up the thing about joining Google+. You either join or click to get more information. I'm not interested and the only way to get rid of the screen is to close my browser. Signing in and out doesn't do it. I figure one of these days even closing the browser won't work and then I'm done with Blogger and I'll go back to AOL for mail.

Betty said...

Forgot...sometimes my list doesn't show up, but I just reload it. It might take a few times, but eventually it does show up.

Keir said...

Blogspot is just rubbish. Now I'm stuck with it having spent so much time and effort setting up my sites...